Preliminary NTSB report describes communications with pilots moments before fatal helicopter crash in East End

The National Council on Transport Safety (NTSB) released a report detailing some of their findings after the event Helicopter crash in East End that killed the pilot and three passengers earlier this month.

The five-page report contains information about exchanges between Samantha Granbush, the pilot of the tour helicopter, and local air traffic control communicators just before the crash.

After establishing radio contact with the air traffic controller, Granbush requested a “central loop” route. A few minutes later, the controller issued a warning about the movement of another tourist helicopter nearby. Granbusch recognized another helicopter.

The controller then requested that Granbush’s helicopter maintain “visual separation” from the other helicopter.

As she read this message, the pilot’s radio transmission suddenly cut off.

There was no further message from the helicopter.

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The report also details surveillance footage showing the collision between the helicopter and the radio tower.

The footage shows the tower’s upper and middle beacons flashing as the helicopter approaches, but the lower beacon was not visible for an unknown reason.

The review also reported that the owner of the radio tower said that a recent NOTAM was issued due to a change in ownership, and that no beacons were reported to be out of service.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE: